The Foundation wouldn’t be here without the extraordinarily talented volunteers in our community. Much of our success to date can be attributed to the special connections members of our community have forged with one another over the years, including those living with scleroderma, those who care for or love someone living with scleroderma, and those who diagnose and treat the disease.
Volunteers make our most important programs and events possible.
Ways our volunteers help put our mission into motion:
- Facilitating support group meetings and discussions
- Serving as a peer mentor to a newly diagnosed individual
- Meeting with legislators and elected officials as scleroderma advocates
- Spreading awareness at events in local communities and on social media
- Serving on a local chapter advisory committee
- Helping with local chapter fundraising events, such as Stepping Out to Cure Scleroderma walks
- Organizing local chapter patient education events
- Assisting with the annual patient education conference
- Sharing journeys and perspectives as someone affected by scleroderma with the Foundation communications team
- Serving on a national committee such as the Board of Directors or the Patient Advisory Board
Ready to get involved? Complete the volunteer application form to get started.
Make a Tangible Impact
Provide emotional support and companionship to individuals facing a complex, chronic illness.
Build Meaningful Connections
Form rewarding relationships with patients, caregivers, and the scleroderma community.
Increase Awareness and Empathy
Gain firsthand understanding of scleroderma and the daily challenges patients navigate.
Develop Valuable Skills
Strengthen communication, advocacy, and active-listening skills applicable in healthcare and nonprofit work.
Be a Part of Something Bigger
Contribute to hope, resilience, and improved quality of life for people living with scleroderma.
There are a variety of ways to get involved as a volunteer with the National Scleroderma Foundation.
- Advocacy: help secure proclamations, lobby on Hill days, make follow-up calls to legislators/elected officials, and respond to calls to action.
- Awareness Activities: help secure teal Light-ups, and spread awareness on social media throughout the month and in June with our awareness month initiatives.
- Chapter Advisory Committee Member: participate locally with your chapter with advocacy, education events, awareness, patient support, building the volunteer pipeline, fundraising, and more. Roles vary chapter by chapter.
- Events/Walks: help with planning and logistics for Stepping out to Cure Scleroderma walks in your local community.
- Patient Advisory Board: serves as a link between the Foundation and the patient community and takes a leading role in disseminating patient information and education, developing educational programming, and establishing research priorities.
- Patient Perspectives: tell your story and lived experiences to help us expand our awareness efforts.
- Peer Mentor: this role is a 1:1 opportunity to share your experiences, listen with empathy, and help others navigate their scleroderma journey. As a trained Peer Mentor through the Foundation, you’ll be matched with a mentee to provide guidance, hope, and a sense of connection – showing others they’re not alone.
- Support Group Facilitator: This role fosters a supportive environment in group settings in face-to-face, telephone or web-based meetings.
All volunteers must sign the code of conduct and complete the volunteer application:
Visit The Hive for all of your volunteer resources. If you don’t have access to The Hive, but think maybe you should, please send an email to volunteer@scleroderma.org.